Method of making a popcorn confection

ABSTRACT

Preparing a non-sticky popcorn ball confection by cooking a confection including sweetener, fat, water and gelatin which may be prepackaged and later used by merely heating in the package, pouring the cooked confection over popped popcorn and forming balls.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a non-sticky taffy composition and method ofuse.

2. Prior Art Relating to the Disclosure

The standard recipe for the confection for popcorn balls comprises sugarand/or corn syrup, water, salt and vanilla. The sugar, corn syrup andwater are cooked to the crack stage, the salt and flavoring are added,and the resulting hot sticky confection is poured over a batch of poppedcorn which is then divided and manually formed into balls. Even if handsare precoated with margarine or other fat, because of the tackiness ofthe confection, difficulty is frequently experienced in preventing theconfection from adhering to the fingers as the balls are formed. Atypical prior art popcorn ball confection for 6 quarts of popped corn isas follows:

            Sugar     2        cps.                                                       Corn Syrup                                                                              2/3      cp.                                                        Water     2        cps.                                                       Salt      1/2      tsp.                                                       Vanilla   2        tsps.                                          

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to provide an improved popcorn ballconfection which can be completely constituted and prepackaged for lateruse, and which can be easily and conveniently stored, heated, handledand applied to the popcorn without adhering to the hands.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In carrying out the invention I utilize gelatin and fat as ingredientsin addition to those which have in the past been found in most popcornball confection recipes. The gelatin is utilized to keep the confectionin a soft pliable state prior to use much in the manner that it does inmarshmallows. In fact, marshmallows can be utilized to provide all ofthe ingredients but the fat and part of the sugar. The fat may beprovided as butter, margarine or some other suitable substitute.

A typical recipe for the confection of the present invention to use withabout 12-14 quarts of popped corn is as follows:

    Gelatin              3/4     oz.                                              Margarine            1/4     lb.                                              Sugar                21/2    cps.                                             Corn syrup (glucose) 11/2    cps.                                             Corn starch          1       oz.                                              Water                2/3     cp.                                              Salt                 2       tsps.                                            Vanilla extract      2       tsps.                                            Citric acid and a flavor extract                                              may be added if desired.                                                  

To prepare the confection the gelatin is thoroughly mixed in two-thirdscup of cold water and the water heated to dissolve the gelatin to this 1cup of sugar is added and the heat increased to bring the mixture to arolling boil whereupon it is removed from the burner and 11/2 cupsglucose and 1 oz. corn starch added and well mixed and cooked to 200°F.One-fourth lb. of margarine is then added and the mixture allowed tocool. The remainder of the ingredients are then added. Desired specialflavoring or coloring may be inserted at this time.

The resulting confection is packaged and cooled for storage. It ispreferred to use heat resistant transparent envelopes or pouches forstorage of the type which can be heat-sealed and later subjected toboiling water without damaging, such for example as the polystyrenepouches of about 2 mil film thickness commonly used for storage andcooking of frozen vegetables. The confection may be packaged before orafter cooling. When at room temperature it is soft and pliable much likeputty.

To prepare the packaged confection for use while the popcorn is beingpopped the closed pouch of confection is placed in a pan of boilingwater and heated until the confection has a consistency suitable forpouring. After removal from the pan the heated pouch is cut open at oneend or corner and the confection conveniently poured therefrom directlyonto the freshly popped corn while the corn is stirred to well mix thehot confection with the corn. Then handfulls of the confection ladenpopcorn are shaped into balls in the normal manner or molded in otherfashion. However, during this ball forming operation the fat present inthe confection prevents sticking thereof to the fingers.

In the above described recipe the amounts of sugar and glucose may bevaried somewhat for individual taste and the cooking starch is notessential. The gelatin and much of the sugar and glucose may be providedby marshmallows of the conventional type made from corn syrup, sugar,gelatin and albumin.

It is believed that the invention will have been clearly understood fromthe foregoing detailed description of my now-preferred illustratedembodiment and it is my intention that the hereto annexed claims begiven the broadest interpretation to which the employed language fairlyadmits.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A process for makingpopcorn balls, comprising:the steps of providing a cooked confectioncomposition which when applied to popcorn does not adhere to the hands,said composition consisting essentially of fat, sweetener, water andgelatin, said sweetener exceeding the water in weight and wherein saidgelatin is in an amount sufficient to keep the confection composition ina soft pliable state prior to use: sealing a portion of the confectioncomposition into a thin, synthetic plastic container adapted towithstand the temperature of boiling water, placing the sealed containerin boiling water to heat the confection composition to thin syrupconsistency, opening the container, pouring the composition over poppedpopcorn, and forming the confection-coated popped popcorn into popcornballs.
 2. A process according to claim 1 in which said container isformed from polystyrene material.